This invention relates generally to injection molding and more particularly to an injection molding nozzle with an elongated central body removably seated in a one-piece outer collar.
Injection molding nozzles having an integral electrical heating element and a central bore for conveying thermoplastic melt to a cavity in a cooled mold are well known. In the past, these nozzles have either had a single piece outer collar portion integrally brazed around an elongated central body portion or a two-piece removable outer collar in which a central body is seated. An early example of an integral nozzle is shown in the applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,405 which issued Sep. 13, 1983 and it has the disadvantage that the entire nozzle is lost if the heating element malfunctions. An example of a nozzle with a two-piece outer collar is shown in the applicant's Canadian patent application serial number 2,127,211 filed Jun. 30, 1994 entitled "Injection Molding Nozzle with Removable Collar Portion". While this has the advantage of being separable, it has the disadvantage and added cost and difficulty of the collar being two-piece.